Carpet sweeper of the rotary driven brush type



May 28, 1957 D. E. WILLIAMS ETAL CARPET swERPER 0R THE ROTARY DRIVERBRUSH TYPE 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Hay 21, l953 May 28, 1957 D. E.WILLIAMS ETAT. 2,793,378

CARPET swEERER 0R THE ROTARY DRIVER BRUSH TYPE Filed May 21,'1953 l 2Sheets-Sheet 2 @h im'. l

ff; ff

United States Patent O lCARPET SWEEPER F THE ROTARY DRIVEN BRUSH TYPEDonald E. Williams, Grand zkapids, Frederick W. `Hertzler, Detroit, andHenry T. Lathrop, Grand Rapids, .Mich., assignors to Bissell -CarpetSweeper Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application May/121, '-1953, Vseal No. '356,344

is claims. -(cl. 1s4s) This invention relates to improvements in acarpet sweeper 'of the rotary driven brush type.

The main objects of this invention`are:

:Fir-st, to provide a carpet sweeper which is of' relatively smalllength vin proportion to'thelength ofjthebrush.

iSecond, 'to provide a carpet sweeper which is relatively compact'andlight in weightand -at the same time strong and durable, "is attractivein appearance, and may be economically ;'pr`oduced.

'.Third, to provide a Acarpet V'sweeper provided with a dus'tpan havinga bottom wall which 'is lfixed relative to the casingandhavingadischarge door 'at Ithe rear of the casing. f

.Fourth, `to 'provide a .carpet sweeper 'with da Arotatable nonoatingbrush andyerticallyadjustable driving 'wheels orwheel vcoactin'gtherewith fto raise and lower'the casing and consequently the blushrelative'to 'the surface over which .the 'sweeper is translated.

Objects-relating to details 'and'economies Vof the invention will'appear from the description to ffollow. The inventionis .defined and-pointed out l'inthe claims.

JA preferred embodiment of the invention i is illustrated in vtheaccompanying drawings, lin which:

Fig 1'isa'sideelevationalview of a'sweepereinbodying the ,invention iindust discharging position, the vdu'stpan door "being indicated in "openposition bydotte'dlines, a portion of'the :handle and of ythe'casing7bi'ng partially broken away. l

Fig. 2is a'vfve'r'tical transversesection on aline'c'orrespov'n'dng'totline of Figs. `Zlfandr-S. 4

lFig. 3 is an :end elevational'view partiallyin'transve'rse section onaline correspondingto d4lin'e r3:--33 of Fig. '4, thehandlebeingfoniitted.

LFig. '4 is 'a plan -vi'ew 'with the 45handle e and the vcasingpartially broken away.

Fig. 5 is :afbottom view with the'hand1eorriitted.

Fig. l6 -s -a fragmentary *view partially in lsectionxion a linecorresponding to lline fo'f Fig `l showing details of the mounting ofthe4brusilfr vFig 7 isa fragmentaryoiew in section-one line :cor-

respondingto-line 7-'7 ofiFi'g. 3fillustratingfde't'ails of :the

adjustment ofthe carrier-for the brush 'drivingwhels '--Fig l8 -is afragmentary view inf-section on-a 'line correspondingto line 88 ofFig.f1.

In 'the `ver'ribodimen't' of the invention illustrated f in theaccompanying Adrawing, -r`the -ca'sin'g --designated y'generally by "thenumeral 51 comprises l'aitop 2, a 'bottom"'3, front walll, rearfwall'iande'nd -walls f6. nrlhese'walls 'are constituted or I'formed by atop:unit 1or member'7 l'and a' bottom-`unitor member `8 bo'thof v(generallypan' shape, the f top meniber being? inverted upon f'theibottomfmeniber,the ffront, rear and 'side 'fwalls'lhaving telescoping engagement-m9.These units or-mer'nbersfarelfdesirablyformed as Vsheet metal "stampingsvfrom 'aluminum "or other "desirable material although wecontemplatethat they :may be formed oftpla'stic `The v"f'ormin'g fftheseunits vormembersfgreatlytfacilittesandreducesthecost otmanu- 'facture andiassembling.

The bottom 'member or'unit has inward offsets at the rear corner thereof4providing Wheel housings 10 for the rear floor Wheels '11 which aremounted on journals or stubshafts`12 projecting from the end walls. Thebottom wall 3 has a brush receiving opening 13 extending between "theend walls and transversely of the direction of travel of the sweeper.The portion of the bottom wall at the rear of this opening constitutesthe 'bottom of the dustpan.

A dustpan discharge opening 14 yis provided in the rear wall andextended 2into the "top of the ycasing which openin g :is normally'closed'by the angled door or closure "15 which 'fits flush finito thewalls and is hingedly `connected 'to fthe =top Wall by the5U-shaped'hinge arms 16 pivoted at Y'-17 von brackets 178 lsecured on'the inner side lof the topwll as shown in Fig. 2. 'These -hinge members16 are Xe'dly secured to vtheinner-sides of the door '15. U- shapedsprings 119 are connected-at one -end to studs 20 on the-brackets I84and cat the other end to -studs 21'on the -lh'inge members "16. They'are so ztensioned that they serve -to 'hold the kdoor in both lclosedand opened positions.

Th'ehandle 22'isprovided with -a vbail 2'3 which springabl-y'embracesthe'casingandis pivotallyconnected thereto 'by the pivot ears "24 jandtthe pintles 'Z5 -on the bail. These fp'ivot ears '2`4 are locatedforward of the center of gravity of the ycasing fand `the vparts carriedthereby so that when the sweeper is picked up, as lshown'inl'iig. 1, thesweeper swings 'to 'dust discharge position indicated in TFig. 1.

'The 'piv'o't A'ears :are provided with keepers `26 and '27, thebailspringably 'engaging the keepers 27 when the handle is vin tle positionshown in lFig. l and with 'the keepers-2o when 'the handle 'is upright.'When the handle i's disposed at an "angle, as is ls'hown'in Fig. 2,which is common iii-sweeping position, it'is out of engagementiwitheitherlkeeperfsothat thefsw'eeper automatically swingsto'dus'tl'dishar'ge position'when pi'c'kedrupby the handle and it ima-ydjestored 'in'vertically edgewise' position as shown irl-Fig.lfthusoccupying fa'minimum of space "for storage.

Aibruh'ZS is fof the `rotary 'ty'pe consisting of -a'body or shaftportion 29 in zwhich fthe tufts "30 are mounted. The brush TZ8 isrotatably mounted on the journals 31 projecting into bearings 3711provided therefor 'in the ends fof thei'brush "shaft These journals 31are carried by supports 32 mounted on the outer sides of the endwall1setions'o'f the'bottom casingunit withtheljonrnals projectingthrough openings "33 provided therefor into engagement with Athe brush.

'The supports 'in the 'embodiment illustrated are springable, 4beingsecured at one ^`en"d by VAthe screws '34 and retained in brush'engagingpositionby'thebumper 65. s'thes'e '-'supportsfare yspringable it is'only necessary to remove one ='suppor't. 'It 'will'be noted-that'thebrush ends-are closely adjacent to the end walls which results inutilizing 'substantallythefull length of the sweeper casing. The brushmay be 'introduced and removed through the opening'fldny thecasing'bottom 'The brush is v'provided with a driven pulley'36 disposedI have slots 49 therein opening to its bottom edges to receive the shaftof the brush with the driven pulley 36 thereof between the walls of thecarrier.

The oor engageable driving wheel 37 is provided with a spindle 51extending through holes 52 provided in the sides of the carrier. Theseholes are of substantially greater dimensions than the spindle so thatthe spindle may be floatingly supported by the C-shaped springs 53 whichare secured at one end 54 thereof to the wheel carrier and are providedwith bearings 55 for the spindle. These springs act to yieldingly urgethe driving wheel 50 against the brush pulley 36.

A second or auxiliary driving wheel 38 is provided with a spindle 57disposed through openings 58 in the wheel carrier and supported byC-shaped springs 59 secured to the carrier at 56 and provided withbearings 60 for the spindle 57. Thus arranged the thrust of the brushdriv ing wheels on the brush pulley is substantially opposed so that thebrush may rotate freely without undue load on its journals. The wheels37 and 38 have some floating movement relative to the brush and casing.

A brush housing member or guard 61 is mounted on the bottom of thecasing at the front of the opening 13 therein to overhang the brush andis provided at its rear edge with a downwardly directed comb 62, theteeth of which engage end portions of the bristles rearwardly of thevertical plane of the axis of the brush. This comb is desirably providedwith long and short teeth as is shown in Fig. 4, the comb being of thetype shown in the application of Werner E. Siebert, Serial No. 260,661,filed December 8, 1951.

At the rear of the bnlsh we provide an upwardly projecting deflectormember or guard 63 which constitutes the front wall of the dustpan. Themember 63 has a comb 64 on its upper edge. This comb 64 is of theconventional type. A bumper 65 is disposed over the joint between thetop and bottom units concealing the same and at the same time serving asa bumper. This bumper is desirably substantially elastic so that it maybe pulled out or lifted up for manipulation of the journal supports 32without the necessity of removing the bumper. By adjustably supportingthe driving wheels they may be raised and lowered relative to the brushto adapt the sweeper for use on hard surfaces or surfaces having littlepile or nap as well as on surfaces having a relatively deep pile or napand this adjustment may be very quickly accomplished by means of thelinger piece 48 which is on the outside of the casing. The door isprovided with a finger hold 66.

Theembodiment of our invention illustrated is attractive in appearance,may be economically produced, is relatively light in weight and at thesame time is strong and durable. The accumulations in the dustpan may beeasily and quickly discharged and the sweeper stored in a verticallyupright position as shown in Fig. l.

We have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments oradaptations of our invention as we believe this disclosure will enablethose skilled in the art to embody or adapt our invention as may bedesired.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. Tn a carpet sweeper the combination of a casing comprising a top, abottom, and front, rear and end walls, said top, bottom, front, rear andend walls being constituted by top and bottom members of generally panshape each integrally formed and having complementary telescopinglyengaged front, rear and end wall sections, the bottom member havinginset portions at the rear corners thereof providing oor wheel housingsand having an elongated brush opening in the bottom wall thereofdisposed transversely of the direction of travel of the sweeper, thebottom at the rear of said transverse opening constituting a dustpan,the casing having a discharge opening for said dustpan, a rotary brushdisposed in said brush opening and journaled on the end walls of thecasing with its ends closely adjacent to the inner sides thereof, awheel carrier of downwardly facing channel section pivotally mounted atits rear end on the bottom member of the casing for Vertical adjustmentrelative to said brush, the side walls of said carrier having openingstherein through which the brush is disposed, a driven pulley on thebrush disposed within said carrier, rear and front floor engageabledriving wheels disposed Within said carrier and provided with axles, thesides of the carrier having openings floatingly receiving said axles,spring means mounted on said carrier to engage said axles and acting toyieldingly and independently support and to yieldingly urge said drivingWheels into driving engagement with said pulley on said brush, means forvertically adjusting said wheel carrier and supporting it in adjustedpositions for raising and lowering said driving wheels relative to thebrush, and floor wheels mounted within said wheel housings.

2. In a carpet sweeper the combination of a casing coniprising a top, abottom, end walls, and front and rear walls, the bottom having a fixedrear portion constituting a dustpan bottom and having an elongated brushopening therein at the front of said dustpan portion disposedtransversely of the direction of movement of the sweeper and a centrallydisposed opening which opens to and extends rearwardly from saidtransverse opening, the bottom having upturned flanges at the edges ofsaid centrally disposed opening, said casing having a dustpan dischargeopening at the rear thereof provided with an upwardly swingable closure,a wheel carrier of downwardly facing channel section disposed with itsrear end between said upturned flanges on said casing bottom andpivotally mounted thereon, the sides of said wheel carrier beingprovided with openings extending upwardly from their bottom edges, arotary brush disposed in saidY brush opening and comprising a shaftrotatably mounted on the casing `end walls and disposed through saidopenings in the side Walls of said wheel carrier and with the ends ofthe brush closely adjacent to the end walls of the casing,

a driven pulley on the brush disposed within the saidv wheel carrier, afirst floor engageable driving wheel disposed within said wheel carrierat the rear of said driven pulley, means on said carrier for yieldablysupporting said first driving wheel in driving engagement with saiddriven pulley, a second oor engageable driving wheel of less diameterthan said first driving wheel disposed within said wheel carrier at thefront of said driven pulley, means on said carrier for yieldinglysupporting said second driving wheel in driving engagement with saiddriven pulley in opposition to said rst driving wheel, and means foradjustably supporting said wheel carrier on its said pivot for raisingand lowering said driving wheels relative to the brush.

3. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a casing comprising a top, abottom, end walls, andfront and rear walls, the bottom having a fixedrear portion constituting a dustpan bottom and having an elongated brushopening therein at the front of said dustpan portion disposedtransversely of the direction of movement of the sweeper and a centrallydisposed opening which opens to and extends rearwardly from said brushopening, the bottom having upturned anges at the edges of said centrallydisposed opening, said casing having a dustpan discharge opening at therear thereof provided with an upwardly swingable closure, a wheelcarrier of downwardly facing channel section disposed with its rear endbetween said upturned anges on said casing bottom and pivotally mountedthereon, the sides of said wheel carrier being provided with openingsextending upwardly from their bottom edges, a rotary brush disposed insaid brush lopening and comprising a shaft rotatably mounted on thecasing end walls and disposed through said openings in the side walls ofsaid wheel carrier and with the ends of the brush closely adjacent tothe end walls of the casing, a driven pulley von the brush disposedwithin the said wheel carrier, a oor engageable drivingA wheel disalla tposed within said wheel ,carrier at the rear of said driven pulley,means on said carrier for yieldably supporting said driving wheel indriving engagement with said driven pulley, and means for adjustablysupporting said wheel carrier on its said pivot for raising and loweringsaid driving wheel relative to the brush.

4. In a carpet sweeper tlle combination of a casing comprising a top, abottom, and front, rear and end walls, said top, bottom, front, rear andend walls being constituted by top and bottom members of generally panshape formed as integral units and having complementary telescopinglyengaged front, rear and end wall sections, the bottom member having abrush opening in the bottom wall thereof, disposed transversely of thedirection of movement of the sweeper, the bottom member at the rear ofsaid transverse opening constituting a dustpan, the casing having adustpan discharge opening at the rear thereof, a rotatably mounted brushdisposed in said opening in said bottom member, a driven pulley on thebrush, a brush housing member secured to the bottom at the front edge ofsaid transverse opening therein to overhang the brush and having a combon its rear edge coacting with the brush, a deector member disposed atthe rear of the brush and constituting the front wall of the dustpan andhaving a comb on its upper edge coacting with the brush, a floorengageable driving wheel drivingly coacting with said pulley on saidbrush, and rear floor wheels for said casing.

5. In a carpet sweeper the combination of a casing, a rotary brushrotatively mounted in said casing to be raised and lowered therewith, awheel carrier mounted in said casing centrally thereof relative to theends of the casing and for vertical adjustment relative to said casingand said brush, said brush being provided with a driven pulley alignedwith said carrier, front and rear driving wheels mounted on said carrierin driving engagement with said driven pulley on said brush, meansincluding a grip on the front of the casing and exterior thereof forraising and lowering said carrier and the driving wheels carried therebyrelative to the brush, and rear oor wheels coacting with said drivingwheels in supporting the sweeper on the surface over which it istranslated.

6. In a carpet sweeper the combination of a casing, a rotary brushrotatively mounted in said casing, a wheel carrier mounted in saidcasing centrally thereof relative to the ends of the casing and forvertical adjustment relative to said casing and said brush, said brushbeing provided with a driven pulley aligned with said carrier,

front and rear driving wheels mounted on said carrier in.

driving engagement with said driven pulley on said brush, and means forraising and lowering said carrier and the driving wheels carried therebyrelative to the brush.

7. In a carpet sweeper the combination of a casing, a wheel carriermounted in said casing centrally relative to the ends of the casing andfor vertical adjustment, a rotary brush rotatably mounted within thecasing, a driven pulley on the brush, a rst floor engageable drivingwheel yieldably mounted on said Wheel carrier at the rear of said drivenpulley, a second floor engageable driving wheel yieldably mounted onsaid wheel carrier at the front of said driven pulley and in drivingengagement therewith, said carrier being disposed in overhangingrelation to said pulley and driving wheels, means for adjustablysupporting said wheel carrier for raising and lowering said drivingwheels relative to the brush, and rear floor wheels for said casing.

8. In a carpet sweeper the combination of a casing, comprising top,bottom, front, rear and end walls, said wall portions being constitutedby top and bottom units of ygenerally pan shape and having complementarytelescopingly engaged front, rear and end wall sections, the bottom unithaving inset portions at the rear corners thereof providing oor wheelhousings and having a brush opening in the bottom wall thereof extendingbetween the end wall portions, a rotatable brush disposed in said casingwith its ends closely adjacent to the end wall portions of Vsaid bottomunit, journals for said brush provided with supports mounted on theouter sides of the end Wall portions of the bottom unit with thejournals projecting therethrough, an elastic bumper strip disposed overand covering the joint between said top and bottom units and extendingacross the front and ends of the casing in overlying relation to saidjournal supports, iioor wheels mounted within said wheel housings, and afloor engageable brush driving wheel disposed between the casing endwalls and drivingly associated with said brush.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS224,069 Breckenridge Feb. 3, 1880 437,349 Rooney Sept. 30, 1890 642,629Reynolds Feb. 6, 1900 1,105,048 Townsend July 28, 1914 2,026,414 BurchDec. 31, 1935 2,178,917 Pullen Nov. 7, 1939 2,515,671 Snyder et al. July18, 1950 2,537,166 Snyder Ian. 9, 1951 2,657,407 Smith Nov. 3, 19532,665,439 More Jan. 12, 1954

